Not Happily Married in Hollywood: Not in Hollywood Book 2 (4 page)

As Griffin drove me home I kept going over everything that I
had seen during the day. I wasn’t concentrating on the road and when he parked
I looked around.

“This isn’t my place” I said. “What are we doing here?”

“Having dinner” Griffin said.

“Having dinner” I repeated, “like a date?”

“Sure, like a date” he said.

“According to my admittedly limited understanding of
American courting culture, a date generally involves somebody being asked. I
wasn’t asked so I believe this may constitute a kidnapping, not a date.”

Griffin looked at me sourly. “Look, it’s late, I’m booked
for dinner with my dad and I don’t have time to take you home and then come
back here” he said as he got out of the car.

“Well don’t I just feel special” I grumbled as I followed
him.

Standing at the door I almost choked when Griffin knocked.

“You’re knocking at your father’s door” I said scandalized.

“It isn’t my house, I’m not just going to walk in. Don’t
tell me, you would.”

“I have keys to my parent’s house. My grandparents once went
out to get groceries and came back to find me fast asleep on their couch. They
live five hours away from my parent’s home, but I had a free day and wanted to
see them.”

“Wasn’t the door locked?” Griffin asked.

“Farm in the middle of nowhere, people who grew up in a
simpler time.” I shrugged. “The door was never locked.”

At that point the door opened.

“Hi Dad” said Griffin, “this is Trudie. Trudie this is my
dad Lee.”

“You’re early” the man at the door said and then turned
around and walked back in the house.

“Early” I repeated, “you could have taken me home.”

“I just wanted to prolong the joy of being in your company”
Griffin said sarcastically.

“Careful” I said as I followed the older man into the house with
Griffin trailing behind me. “I might just get the idea that you like me.”

Dinner with the Griffin men was an experience that I was not
used to. The table was completely silent during the meal, barely interrupted by
mumbled requests for the salt. Eyre family meals had a habit of descending into
the raucous and at times inappropriate conversation. My parents were strict
believers in the fact that the meal was the only time most of the family came
together. It was also the only time they had a captive audience in their
children. Most of my life lessons throughout childhood had been discussed at
the dinner table. I eyed the two of them carefully. Not being distracted by
discussion the two men seemed intent on completing their meal as quietly and
efficiently as possible. Determined not to be left behind I tackled my own,
quite large, plate. The bowl of pasta was simple but delicious. My only issue
was it was huge. Unfortunately I had been brought up by my parents to always
finish what was on the plate when someone else had cooked for me. I know,
really bad advice when it comes to weight control, but my parents were
sticklers for being polite when in someone else’s home.

Just as dinner was finishing Griffin’s cell started ringing.

“Excuse me” he said as he left the room, leaving his father
and me to uncomfortably eye each other over the table.

“Delicious meal,” I ventured.

He stopped and looked at me shrewdly. I could see he was
about to say something but Griffin came back into the room.

“I’m sorry but I have to go. Something has come up on a case
I’m working and I have to follow it up now.”

“Eric?” I asked curiously.

“No, another case” Griffin said abruptly. “Dad, can you take
Trudie home for me?”

“Sure son” Lee said.

Griffin looked at me as if undecided about what to do next.

“I’ll see you later” he said, turned around and walked out
of the house, leaving me with a man that I didn’t know. I looked at Lee.

“Want a beer?” he asked getting up to the refrigerator,
grabbing one and opening it in one fluid move.

“No thank you” I said. “Look, I’ll just grab a taxi and head
home, don’t worry about a ride.”

“No, no, I’ll just finish the beer and then I’ll drive you
home.”

“I’m sorry but I don’t want to get into a car with you if
you’ve had a beer” I said cringing with embarrassment.

Lee stopped drinking and looked at me dumbfounded.

I rushed on feeling like an idiot. “I’m not telling you what
to do. I got hit by a drunk driver a couple of years ago and since then I have
a problem with cars and I have an even bigger problem with alcohol and cars.”

“I’ve only just started it.”

“It doesn’t matter, this is my issue we’re talking about. Even
a sip freaks me out. I know it’s not rational and I’m sorry if you’re offended
but I think me getting a taxi is a better idea.”

Lee went to turn up the bottle and pour it down the sink.

“No don’t do that, I’m not trying to tell you what to do.
I’m just a little nutty when it comes to this issue.”

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. I was usually so
good at hiding my problems.

“Honey, just sit down” Lee said. “I’m going to pour out the
rest of the beer. We are going to sit down and get to know each other, until
you feel comfortable again, and then I will take you home.”

“You don’t have to” I protested.

“Geez woman you’re stubborn, just sit down for goodness
sake.”

I sat. “My mom calls it being strong willed” I said quietly.

“I’m sure she makes your dad’s life interesting” Lee
replied.

“He doesn’t complain” I smiled, “but then my dad is a very
smart man.”

“So” said Lee as he settled himself into a well-worn chair.
“My boy brings home a woman to meet his father. What I want to know is what are
you doing with my son?”

“Just to clarify” I said. “You are starting this
conversation by asking me what my intentions are towards your son, your fully
grown police officer son.”

Lee barked out a laugh and I could see the response was not
a common one as it sounded a bit rusty. “I guess I am. Don’t worry this is as
new to me as it is to you. Jake’s never brought a woman home before, so I’m
probably going from an old script on this one.”

“Well,” I said. “Since I have met Griffin he has hauled me
to the station to be interrogated several times. He has threatened to deport me
when I accidentally assaulted him. He bolted when he met my mother and I
haven’t seen him in two months. I meet up with him again today and he spends
pretty much the entire day scowling at me, and then he kidnaps me and dumps me
here. At this point I’ve got to say that if you are concerned for his virtue
with me, don’t worry, it is completely safe.”

“That explains the weird mood he’s been in lately” Lee
muttered. “Look, I don’t want to interfere with whatever it is that my boy’s
doing.”

“But you’re going to aren’t you?”

“Only because I think he’s going to screw this up and I’ve
never seen him look at a woman like he looks at you.”

I stared at Lee incredulously. “I don’t know what you think
you are seeing, but the expression that he has when he looks at me is generally
anger, with some exasperation and a little bit of annoyance. Maybe there’s a
flash of attraction every now and then but that is it.”

“Not exactly how I’m interpreting it honey.”

“So you’re the expert on feelings in your family then?” I
asked.

Once again a bark of laughter came from Lee. “No, that’s the
goddamn truth. Jake’s mama was a rich college girl. She was beautiful, had the
most amazing green eyes, only thing she gave Jake. We pretty much fell in lust
straight away. She liked the whole big strong cop thing. She got pregnant, we
got married. When Jake was a few months old I got home from work, she passed him
to me, said she couldn’t be a cop’s wife anymore and walked out the door.
Sometime later I got divorce papers and neither Jake nor I have seen her since.
My parents were gone at that point so the only people to help me were the guys
at the precinct. Jake’s never really had a female influence in his life. Lucky
for me he didn’t go off the rails when he was a teenager, but he’s never been
serious enough about a woman to bring her to dinner with me, until today.” He
looked at me meaningfully.

“I think you’re reading too much into this. Me being here
doesn’t mean anything” I protested. “We were doing a walk through at a crime
scene that I was a witness at. He just didn’t have time to get me home before
coming here.”

“Of course” Lee replied.

“Kind of strong willed yourself aren’t you?” I sighed.

He smiled at me.

“Look, I honestly don’t know what it is your son wants from
me.”

Lee quirked an eyebrow up, looked like it was a family
trait.

“Well of course I know” I said hurriedly my cheeks heating
up again. “I just haven’t seen him in two months, he disappeared right after I
thought there was something beginning between us.”

“Jake doesn’t do permanent” his father said. “Part of that’s
my fault. After the number his mom pulled on us, I just wasn’t interested in
trying it again. Jake saw this and learned from it, probably not in the best
way. I was careful to never bring a woman home, didn’t want him to get attached
just to have them walk away. Jake grew up focused and strong. He wanted to be a
cop just like his old man. He wanted to be a great cop, nothing was going to
get in the way of that.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked.

“Because I’m getting old and looking at my regrets in life.
When I see him look at you I can see a future in his eyes that doesn’t revolve
around just being a cop. I want more for my boy than I had and you are the
closest I’ve been to getting it.”

“Look, I don’t know what to say” I said carefully. “What is
or isn’t between us should stay like that. I can see that your son is a good
man and I won’t say that I’m not attracted to him, but if anything happens
between us, it is between us. You can’t push me and you definitely can’t push
him, do you understand that?”

“Yes” Lee said grudgingly. “I just don’t want him to screw
it up. I think you would be good for him and Lord knows the boy is a dumbass
sometimes when it comes to feelings and all that crap.”

I put my hand on his arm. “The fact that you care this much
makes you a good dad” I said, “although for future reference, the next woman
Griffin brings and dumps on you might not be so accepting of the whole
intention’s interrogation.”

“Just never had to do it before so I’m not sure of what the
protocol is” he said.

“Me neither” I said, “but I’m pretty sure the next step is
you telling me embarrassing stories about his childhood and showing me his
naked baby pictures.”

The ringing of the telephone was jarring and I grabbed it.

“Where the hell are you?”

“Dad?” I asked, confusion in my voice.

“No, it is not your father, although I’m sure he would have
some questions for you. It’s Jake” Griffin growled out.

“Oh, morning, what’s up?” I sat up on the couch I had been
lying on.

“Sean says he can’t find you and your car is still parked
outside your place.” He was still growling. Did not seem to be a morning
person.

“Why are you talking to Sean?” I really needed coffee. This
conversation was not making any sense at all.

“Beside the point Trudie. Back to the original question,
where are you?”

“I’m still at your dad’s house.”

“Why on earth would you still be there?” He sounded amazed.

“We started talking and then it got late. I must have fallen
asleep on the couch because that’s where I am now, and it’s actually quite
comfortable, more than I thought it would be” I said as I pushed down on the
cushions.

“My dad does not talk.”

I looked up to see Lee holding out a coffee towards me.

“Oh that is so wrong, he is really the chatty Kathy when you
get him going. He spent the night telling me everything about you, including
that one time with the cheerleader… Oh here he is with my morning coffee, I’ll
talk to you later.”

Turning off my cell I wrapped my hands around the steaming
cup.

“Thank you” I said.

“Do you enjoy torturing my son?” Lee asked.

“Makes my morning that much brighter” I said blowing across
the top of the mug.

“I didn’t say anything about Jake and a cheerleader” Lee
said.

“I saw the football photo of him in high school on the
mantle, trust me, somewhere there is a story with a cheerleader.”

“I don’t think my boy is prepared for you” Lee said
chuckling. “I believe I’m going to enjoy this.”

“Well you’d better get started, he’s not happy that I wasn’t
tucked up in my own bed last night and I’m guessing that right about now he is
blaming you.”

“Not the first time that boy wasn’t happy with me.” Lee
shrugged. “Come on let’s get you home.”

As I settled in the car and Lee started driving I noticed
him looking sideways at me.

“What?” I asked.

“Last night you said you had issues with cars, are you okay?”

My face softened “I’m fine.”

“Want to tell me what happened.”

“Not much to tell, I was driving home when a drunk driver
swerved onto my side of the road and hit my car. Woke up several days later
unable to feel my legs.”

Lee hissed his breath out.

“I don’t remember anything about the actual accident. My
Uncle Frank is a cop and he was first on the scene. He’s told me about it. Held
my hand while they were cutting me out of the car. Refused to leave me until my
parents got to the hospital.”

“Must have been tough on him” Lee commented. “Got to say,
that was always a nightmare I had when I attended a car accident, that it’d be
Jake or another kid I knew.”

“Yeah, I didn’t realize how much it affected him until his
wife took me aside and told me about bad dreams he was having, about me not
making it, or it being one of his kids. I don’t complain anymore when he holds
me a little too tight when he hugs me, or he’s a little overprotective. I gave
him an up close and personal vision of his nightmare.”

“How long were you in hospital?”

“Not long, I was in rehab for a while though, learning how
to walk again. I had bruising on my spine, that’s why I couldn’t feel my legs.
It takes a while to get over that.”

“You had heaps of support though right”

“With my family, you better believe it. I had my parents of
course and my brother and sister, but there were also grandparents, aunts,
uncles and cousins always on hand to help out.”

“Anyone special there for you?”

My smile dimmed a bit. “My fiancé couldn’t cope with my
injuries. He left me after the accident.”

“Gutless” Lee commented.

“No, he just didn’t love me enough to take care of me if I
ended up in a wheelchair.”

“Must have hurt” Lee said gently.

“Like you would not believe. I thought I was totally
destroyed but one day I’m lying in the hospital bed, with my Grandma Rita
sitting in a chair beside me knitting away. I felt some pain in my leg, told my
grandmother and promptly burst into tears and wailed something stupid about
Paul and how he should be there. My grandmother basically told me that I had
two choices, I could be sad or angry. If I was sad I should just give up
because I wasn’t going anywhere, anger would get me back on my feet. She told
me to hold onto that anger.”

“Would you take him back if he wanted you?”

“No” I said, relieved to know I meant it.

“Good to know.” Lee stared straight ahead at the road.

I threw him a sideways glance. “I’m serious Lee, you cannot
be matchmaking.”

“But I like you and I think you would be good for Jake” Lee
said.

My head dropped. “Flattering as that is to hear, you cannot
start manipulating your son’s love life just because you are feeling a bit
clucky.”

“Did you just call me clucky?” Lee sounded affronted.

“Yes, and if you’re not careful you’re going to become like
one of those Italian mothers, constantly complaining that their kids haven’t
given them any grandchildren yet.”

Lee looked insulted as he pulled up outside my building.

“It was good to meet you Lee” I said as I got out of the
car.

“You too” he said.

I waved as he pulled out of the driveway. Turning to head up
to my apartment I had Sean come running up to me, following me as I walked.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine” I said, “but I think you and I are going to need
to have a little talk.”

Sean hung his head and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for
him. Opening the door to the apartment I motioned him towards the couch.

“So, are you going to tell my why you called Griffin this
morning?” I asked gently.

Sean seemed to be having trouble meeting my eyes. “I came
over early this morning to see you, before you went to work. You didn’t answer
the door so I opened it with my key and could see that you weren’t here. I got
worried and so I called Griffin.”

I shook my head. “Okay we’re going to start with the
beginning of that explanation because it raises a bunch of questions. First of
all, why do you have a key to my place?”

“I do some work in the apartments at times. Miss Betsy gave
me the master keys yesterday to do some work and I need to finish it today.
Your key is on that group.”

“Alright, though for future reference, could you at least
please try to call me before entering my house next time? How did you know that
I hadn’t just left for work early?”

“Car was still in the parking area.”

“Smart” I said. “Now for the next big question. Why on earth
would you call Griffin? Your better bet would have been Miss Betsy, Crystal or
Edwin or maybe anyone other than Griffin. Believe me having Griffin yelling at
me through my phone was not a particularly pleasant way for me to begin the day.”

“Sorry” said Sean, “it’s just, when you got shot Griffin
talked to me about it and he said if ever I was concerned about you that I
should call him. He asked me to keep an eye on you for him.”

“Sean” I said gently. I could see that my not being there
had put fear in the boy’s eyes. I could have kicked myself. Sean had been
tossed out of home by his mother and her boyfriend. I had found him when he had
been scared and alone, hiding behind a facade of bravado. Between myself and
the other residents of the apartment complex we had given him a home, but I
could still see that he was afraid of losing it. “I’m sorry I scared you” I
said. “Yesterday was a bit of a chaotic day and I ended up somewhere I hadn’t
expected to be and fell asleep before I could head home. I was pretty
exhausted.”

“New boyfriend?” Sean asked curiously.

“No” I said. “If you must know Griffin abandoned me at his
father’s last night when he left me there during dinner.”

“Then why was he so worried when I called when he knew where
you were.”

“His dad was supposed to take me straight home but it didn’t
work out that way. Next time you are worried about me, just call my cell. I
don’t care what time of the day or night it is, if you’re worried call me.”

“Okay” said Sean.

“Now get going so I can clean up. The call from Griffin
freaked me out so much I came straight back here. I haven’t had a chance to
shower or anything.”

“Yeah I was wondering about that, you do smell a bit ripe”
said Sean, a cheeky grin playing on his face.

“Nice. I can see you’re going to be a hit with the ladies
when you get older, considering all the charm I’m seeing now” I drawled shooing
him out of my apartment.

“Could be worse” Sean said. “Could be like Griffin.”

I shivered theatrically, “Now that would just be cruel.”

Hearing Sean laughing felt good. The kid had been given a
rough ride in life and I enjoyed when I saw his face light up with a cheeky
smile.